HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Loos, R. J. Articles by Argyropoulos, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Loos, R. J. Articles by Argyropoulos, G. Agricola Articles by Loos, R. J. Articles by Argyropoulos, G.

Two ethnic-specific polymorphisms in the human Agouti-related protein gene are associated with macronutrient intake^1,2,3

¹ From the Human Genomics Laboratory (RJFL, T Rankinen, and CB) and Energy Balance Genomics (GA), Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA); the Division of Biostatistics (T Rice and DCR) and the Departments of Genetics and Psychiatry (DCR), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO; the School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (ASL); and the Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (JSS)

Background: The Agouti-related protein (AGRP), an appetite modulator, induces hyperphagia when administered intracerebroventricularly or when overexpressed in transgenic mice. Exogenous administration of AGRP in rodents predisposes to high fat and high sugar intakes.

Objective: The objective was to examine the potential associations of 2 ethnic-specific polymorphisms in the AGRP gene (Ala67Thr in whites and –38C>T in blacks) in the Health, Risk Factors, Exercise Training, and Genetics (HERITAGE) Family Study.

Design: We examined the effect of the 2 polymorphisms in the AGRP gene on self-reported macronutrient intakes in 478 white and 272 black participants in the HERITAGE Family Study.

Results: Both AGRP polymorphisms showed a significant association with energy intake. In whites, a smaller proportion of total energy was derived from fat by the Ala67Thr heterozygotes ( ± SEM: 29.4 ± 0.7%) than by the Ala67Ala homozygotes (31.5 ± 0.5%; P = 0.009), mainly because of a lower intake of saturated (P = 0.06) and monounsaturated (P = 0.01) fats by the Ala67Thr heterozygotes. The percentage of energy from carbohydrates was 2.6% greater in the Ala67Thr heterozygotes (55.1 ± 1.1%) than in the Ala67Ala homozygotes (52.5 ± 0.6%; P = 0.03). In blacks, protein intake was associated with the –38C>T promoter polymorphism. T/T homozygotes had a significantly lower protein intake than did the C-allele carriers (C/C: 16.8 ± 0.4%; C/T: 17.2 ± 0.2%; T/T: 15.4 ± 0.7%; P = 0.04). No significant differences in total energy and alcohol intakes existed between genotype groups in blacks or whites.

Conclusions: The present study suggests that 2 ethnic-specific AGRP variants, previously shown to be associated with leanness in the HERITAGE Family Study, are also associated with macronutrient intake.

Key Words: Agouti-related protein • AGRP • Ala67Thr • –38C>T • energy intake • macronutrient intake • food-frequency questionnaire • Québec Family Study

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. C. L. Tung, D. Rimmington, S. O'Rahilly, and A. P. Coll Pro-Opiomelanocortin Modulates the Thermogenic and Physical Activity Responses to High-Fat Feeding and Markedly Influences Dietary Fat Preference Endocrinology, November 1, 2007; 148(11): 5331 - 5338. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]